One Day at a Time!

Greetings everyone!
Hope you had a delightful New Year! I feel that New Year's truly is a time of new beginnings. A time to reflect and evaluate the year past and look forward to what will come.  This year's coming, came with much excitement and anticipation. It was almost as if a part of me was expecting that at the stroke of midnight something major would occur and that at the sound of the 1st  fireworks would mark a burst, a shake or an outpouring from the Lord to prepare me for what's to come.  I believe that it did happen, though my New Year's events were quite nice, they were now particularly eventful. It was a peaceful time, praise the Lord.

The New Year also marks the start of 21 day fast for many congregations and believers, our church started this past Sunday, January the 6th on 3 Kings Day or Epiphany. It is a day when we celebrate! It marks the day when the wise men, who followed the star knowing it meant the birth of a king, the King of kings, Jesus! We too follow the light, and on this 21 day journey, we seek to draw closer to the light!  I will let you know that fasting for 21 days, regardless of the type of fast, is a challenge, especially as king-stomach grumbles and taste buds cry out for (insert favorite food here). As this happens I remind myself that I do this because the only King over my life is Christ.

A few years ago I went on an extended liquids fast, and after I started I thought I was not going to be able to do it. How can I go on, on just broths, diluted juices... I like cakes and steak!  What the Lord taught me during that time, among other things, was to take one day at a time.

 One day at a time sweet Jesus!

I arose singing one morning and it stuck with me, and I was able to persevere.  While I am not doing such a strict fast, it it still a challenge. and at times I look at the calendar and see the 3 weeks, or 21 days, the 504 hours that I am faced with. I then remind myself, I am asleep for about 1/3 of that, which brings me to 312 hours. And today I was reminded that I am on day 3, I have today to think about, the day, the moment that I am promised with, the now! So I live and fast one day at a time, not focusing on what I am or am not eating. I focus on the fact that I have been given this day, this moment, the now to draw near unto him, who came and drew near to me.

 

May you hae a blessed and favored day!

Minda

It's About Time!

We all have dreams that we are designed to achieve, and oft we put things off till tomorrow, but tomorrow isn't promised to anyone. Make the most of the moments you have, and live them to the fullest! Some may not agree with my mantra:  I will be worn out before I rust out! But I want to do all that God has empowered me to do.  It's like what are we waiting for?

Do you believe? have you made that choice or are you waiting for your tomorrow? You see, there is One whose dream is that you may have life in abundance and who gave His life that you may live the dream! 

Read the poem below.. I wrote it a few years ago.. 

Time Passed Me By

A soul that finds itself with no time left; no time to live, love or laugh. No time left, simply crying out for mercy as it knows that once this last moment in time is passed it will go to its eternal home, either basking in the presence of the Creator or forever suffering right along with the destroyer of life.

I find myself separating from this life I have grown so fond of. 

I find myself slowly separating, 

And feeling desperate,

And anxious about what’s to come.

Somehow I know that Lord, 

You are listening

And see what I am going through. 

I know You are there.

Out of nowhere and everywhere the soul is impacted by conviction of a life wasted. Sin becomes apparent, as if though it just stepped before the presence of the Holy One. And at once the soul understands that the life that it so desired and enjoyed was not the life that God wanted for it.  The soul found itself weeping, knowing the future that was ahead.  And to its memory came the days long gone when the Holy One prompted it to follow Him.  The soul cries out trying to take its last few moments to regroup and find any reason to be excused for the life it led.

Time passed me by, 

I don’t know what I did

Where I went,

How I lost track of time.

Time passed me by 

And with time so went my life

To live is all I wanted to ever do

I don’t know what I did 

Where I went,

But somehow, 

I lost track of time

The soul cried hoping that the Holy One would have mercy upon it, and grant it life.

Time passed me by 

Sometimes it feels like I was

Born yesterday

To live today and 

I’ll sleep tomorrow

Time passed me by 

Things I wanted were forgotten

Things I needed were disregarded 

Here I am with no time left 

Lord, have mercy on me

Because it’s just that time passed me by

Time passed me by 

I don’t know what I did 

How I lost sight of what mattered and 

How I never listen when You called me

I guess I thought I would just reach out to You in my tomorrow.

But here I am crying out to You

Asking you to forgive me 

For being foolish and not realizing that 

Tomorrow is promised to no one

But I know now

And I cry out to You

And I ask You to please have mercy.

When I look back at the Life I lived

At the times I rejected

 Your gentle nudging 

And loving whisper of my name,

I cry for I know that if only I would have listened 

If only I would have embraced Your love and mercy

If only I would have responded willingly, 

even if just yesterday.

Now here I am crying and begging for mercy 

Because in thinking that I had all the time in the world 

Time passed me by

And so the soul cried out and the Holy One listened to its plea. So moved by its sincerity, the Lord says “you still have time, for you are still living, though, not for much longer, and you still have time to decide.  Will you reject me as you have always or will you embrace the life everlasting that you can have in Me?” And with his last breath the soul with joy and peace in his heart declared loudly, wanting the whole world to heart its heart proclaiming:

Jesus I believe in You

And I thank You for all You have done

For You have forgiven me for my sins,

For all the wrongdoings and ignorance, and 

For letting time pass me by.

© 2007 Minda Montero

So, once again I ask.. what are you waiting for? Live today! chose Life today! And as my sis says.. you will surely live "real-life dreams"

Be blessed & a Blessing

Minda